


Splintered: The Pylons

by Freya1970



Series: Splintered [1]
Category: Doctor Who (1963)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-17
Updated: 2014-11-18
Packaged: 2018-02-25 17:18:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 14,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2629940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freya1970/pseuds/Freya1970
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Taking off from a crumbling Logopolis, the Doctor and Tegan are flung into another universe while the Master's fate remains unknown.  Traveling together in the new universe The Doctor and Tegan soon learn that getting back won't be easy and will require cooperation between the two of them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

The takeoff from Logopolis went normal as it could have, outside of the fact that they were traveling in the Master’s TARDIS. However, it was when the TARDIS’s cloister bells begun to sound, alarming them all to some unknown impending danger. Tegan, the Doctor’s new companion (well, she sort of forced her way into that situation) looked around the console room worriedly.

“What’s happening?” Tegan demanded rather loudly. All it took was the Master to shove her out of the way as he circled the console of the TARDIS. The poor girl looked as if she was about to break into tears.

“It’s the CVE,” said the Master looking at the Doctor with an expression that sent a tingling sense of fear down the Doctor’s spine. “It’s expanding instead of contracting, and its gravitational field is intensifying.”

The Doctor’s mind snaped into action and weighed their options quickly. “Have you engaged the gravitational damper?”

“Yes, of course I have, Doctor,” the Master answered sharply. “The engines are operating at 110%.”

“Gallifrey will know where you are shortly at that rate.” The Doctor knew that after finding out that the Master had managed to procure another TARDIS, the Time Lords would most certainly put an end to him drawing power from the Eye of Harmony, leaving them without any power, and in the worst possible position to go through the CVE if they should have to go through it.

“We’re still being pulled towards the CVE, Doctor,” said the Master. It appeared that the Master was attempting to reprogram the navigation computer. The dematerialization circuit was flashing indicating that they were traveling in ordinary space and that dematerialization was an impossibility at this point. “Gallifrey is the least of my concerns at this point.” The Master continued.

“Why don’t you help him, Doctor?” asked Tegan from where she was watching the view screen. One could in fact see the CVE from here. It was growing larger, instead of compacting as the monitor had theorized it would. But it wouldn’t be enough to stop the entropy field from spreading out across the universe. “We’re about to be pulled through that giant hole in space!”

The Doctor shared Tegan’s concern but there wasn’t much he could do about it. “I can’t.”

“Why not?” questioned Tegan indignantly. And why wouldn’t she be angry? She was bearing witness to one of the most powerful forces in the universe gaping open before her. The CVE was not just a way to channel entropy between universes; it was also a bridge to another universe. One the Doctor had hoped he would never have to experience again.

“The Master’s TARDIS console only responds to the Master’s biodata print.” The Doctor explained. “If I touch it….”

“He’ll be hit with a million volts of Archon energy.” The Master finishing the Doctor's sentence for him; grinning devilishly as he did. Tremas’s body had accented the Master’s devilish personality perfectly. Each time he looked at the Master now, he would be reminded of how cruel the Master truly was. Tremas had been a sharp minded compassionate fellow. One of the few people he had come to respect in short period of time. Tremas had sacrificed his Keepership to save him and Adric. He deserved much better than to be possessed by the evil monster the Master had become over his lifetime. Tremas deserved to be at home on Traken, raising his brilliant daughter Nyssa instead.

“You mean he’ll be electrocuted,” guessed Tegan. The girl was quick witted in most things and had much potential. It had been both a curse and a blessing she’d gotten lost in his TARDIS. Her eagerness to please and to do as she was told to when she thought it was the right course of action had brought a sort of semblance of loyalty he hadn’t expected to experience in someone he had only known for almost a half hour. But when she expressed her opinion openly he knew that like so many of his other companions before, it would do nothing more than to get her into trouble on most occasions.

The Master laughed darkly, basking in his sick sense of humor as he said, “More than that, my dear, he’ll cease to exist.”

It was then Tegan surprised him. Adric would have demanded the Master to take action through threat of violence. Romana would have used cold logic and Leela her knife. “Can’t you two put aside your petty differences for now and try to solve this problem together?” asked Tegan, demanding cooperation between the two Time Lords. “We’re going to be sucked through that thing and killed if we don’t do something about it now!”

The Master of course didn’t care if she lived or died. He didn’t seem to ever care for nothing but himself now. “We’ll survive, isn’t that correct, Doctor,” gloated the Master.

The Doctor glanced at the worried Tegan and then glanced back down at console panel he was working at. “I’ve never taken a human through a CVE before.” The Doctor confided honestly. “So it’s a possibility. I’d say she has a fifty percent chance of Tegan surviving. And then there’s you, Master.”

Of course the Master hadn’t recognized all the variables available. He hadn’t thought about the consequences of his previous actions. “What are you getting at, Doctor?”

“Your new body, Master,” the Doctor pointed out. “It’s not completely Gallifreyan any longer, is it?”

The implication of not being completely Gallifreyan seemed to have registered on all levels of the Master’s devious mind. “Help me steer the TARDIS away from it, Doctor." The Master tapped in a few commands into the operations computer.

But how far could the Doctor trust the Master? Not very far at all. “How do I know I can trust that you’ve disconnected your booby trapped console, Master?” The Doctor had every reason to be wary of the Master. After all, they were here trying to avoid being thrown into another universe. A universe that was ripe for the picking as far as the Master was concerned.

“I suppose you’ll have to trust me, Doctor,” responded the Master maliciously. Trust was something to be earned. Trust was something the Doctor never really had for the Master.

“Oh hell’s teeth, since I’m the third wheel here…,” said Tegan in a huff. The Doctor quickly realized what Tegan intended to do.

“No, Tegan, don’t,” yelled the Doctor, but before he could stop her she did something incredibility brave, and incredibility stupid. She walked over next to the Master and put her hand on the console. Did the girl have a death wish? But nothing happened to her. She just stood there staring and waiting for the Doctor to make the next move.

The Master laughed at the Doctor. The Master’s deep dark cackle made the Doctor’s skin crawl as the Master said, “You see, Doctor, the archon energy field has been disconnected from my console as I said it was.”

“What’s going on now,” asked Tegan, after turning her attention to the viewscreen.

The Doctor ran a quick scan of the nearby space, and from it he received a surprising result. He looked up from the readout panel and looked at the CVE himself through viewer and said, “It seems the CVE is stabilizing on its own.”

“But we’re still caught in its gravitational field.” The Master added still trying to work out a solution to their problem.

“We’re at 120% on the engines,” said the Doctor. The Doctor knew that back on Gallifrey who ever was the Castellan was probably making a report on this incident to the Time Lord High Council right about now. It was a choice between continuing overloading the capacity of the engines up to 200% after which they would burn out or taking their chances and go through the CVE.

An explosion erupted from the panel nearest the Master. Tegan yelped, the Master surprisingly shielded her from the array of flying sparks that was continuously erupting from the console panel. The Doctor frowned at the wisps of smoke that floated in the air nearby after the Master had put out the small fire that had started with a small hand held extinguisher.

“What was that,” asked Tegan shoving the Master away from her. That wasn’t surprising at all. The Time Lord had murdered her Auntie. The Doctor still felt bad about that.

“The gravitational damper has been damaged,” said the Master. The Doctor understood what the Master had meant. The damper was working still but not at full capacity. It would have to be replaced as soon as they could manage it.

“What does that mean?” Tegan demanded from the Master, tugging on his sleeve. The Doctor smiled slightly. Full of fire, this one, the Doctor thought. At least, it was the Master who was on the receiving end of that temper of hers and not him.

The Master shoved Tegan away from him. She landed with her back against the wall near viewscreen. “It means we’re going into the CVE, you pathetic fool,” said the Master, shouting at her over his shoulder.

And then it was the Doctor’s turn. He had turned his attention back to the console’s navigation systems, trying a maneuver that had saved him in his TARDIS time after time. “Do something! I don’t want to die,” Tegan snapped at the Doctor.

“I’m trying,” said the Doctor, snapping back at her. It was no good though. The Type 80 TARDIS was just too vast for the same maneuvers to be effective this time. They were going into the CVE.

“Stop yelling at me,” Tegan demanded, almost to the state of crying. “The both of you. It’s not like I wanted to be here!”

“Come over here, Tegan, stand next to me,” ordered the Doctor. It was all he could do for her. That and pray to the ancient Gods of Gallifrey. Which would help very little because the Doctor didn’t believe in them.

“Why,” asked Tegan, clearly in tears by now. She had been watching the so called giant hole in space grow larger and larger in view screen as they approached the CVE.

“Just do it,” he demanded, reaching across the console and grabbing her arm. He pulled her away from the Master. This garnered the Master’s attention whose expression had hollowed into something that appeared to resemble regret. “I haven’t time to explain everything,” snapped the Doctor at Tegan.

“I’m scared, Doctor.” Tegan confided, wrapping her arms around his waist, burying her face into the layers of his scarf. The Doctor responded by wrapping his arms around her shoulders and patting her on the back, glaring at the Master the whole while. If the Master hadn’t interfered, this whole mess would have been avoided. It was the Master’s fault that this was occurring. Completely and utterly his fault. It just added to the things that the Doctor would never forgive the Master for.

He could hear the echo of the braking engines fire frantically trying to stop them. It would do them no good. It was too late. They were about to pass into another universe, where the Doctor might lose both a new friend and an old nemesis all at once. Tegan’s embrace tightened as the surroundings grew whiter and whiter they all begin to feel the effects of passing through the barrier of the universes enter the room. “Brave heart, Tegan,” said the Doctor to Tegan. It was all he could think to say to her. He wasn’t even sure if she heard him.

And then someone screamed as if they were being ripped to atoms.

 


	2. Pecking Order

The Doctor blinked his eyes opened. He was still in the Master’s TARDIS but on the console room floor. It only took a moment to realize that he was alone there. Long ago, the Doctor read a lengthy a study he once read on space faring races. Some races gave up on space faring after only a few disasters while the majority of space faring race as the subject implies endure countless disasters; exposure to cosmic rays, gamma rays and the other trillion dangers of space exploration brought with it. Only a small percentage of the majority realized they needed to engineer their physical bodies to withstand that particular way of life. Even smaller still used time travel in tandem for traverse vast reaches of space and only a miniscule percentage of the successful space faring races developed the technology to successfully traverse universes like they were on a trolley going from one universe to the next.

The Time Lords had begun to technology that would allow them to explore universes when they simply lost interest in space faring and discovered the politics of ruling the space-time vortex. That had been a bleak time in Time Lord history which was also known as the dark times. Along that line of thought, the Doctor realized the limits of Time Lord physiology. The Time Lords had no doubt performed a miracle when engineering a body for temporal and spatial travel but to traverse other universes; the searing nerve pain he felt emanating from his spine to every part of his body simply let him know they hadn’t got the part about traversing universes quite right yet. There was no pain last time because his TARDIS had compensated for it. But since this wasn’t his TARDIS there was nothing he could do but wait until the pain became bearable before he could stand up and conduct a search that is if the Master’s TARDIS didn’t mind him poking around. The Doctor closed his eyes and simply waited.

He wasn’t sure how long he had been searching but according to the bioscanner there was at least one other humanoid on board the TARDIS with him. He turned down another corridor and opened the door and asked: “Hello? Anyone there?”

On the floor the young one who had boarded his TARDIS by accident was curled in a ball on the floor of the room. While he wasn’t sure how Tegan ended up here, he was happy it was Tegan he was going to be traveling with instead of the Master. “Oh there you are,” said the Doctor, sounding more chipper than he felt.

Tegan raised her face towards him and said; “Yeah, here I am.”

The Doctor knelt next to her and tried his best to avoid kneeling on his scarf. “How do you feel,” he asked checking her pulse. It was steady on. Her respirations were slightly higher than normal but he would expect something like traversing universe would do that to anyone.

They young Earth woman sat up and steadied herself. “Like I’ve got electricity running through my entire body. But it doesn’t hurt much anymore, it just feels strange.”

“That’s your central nervous system adapting to the new universe,” he explained. “It’ll go away in a couple of hours.” At least he hoped it would.

The young Earth woman looked startled as any Earth person from the 20th century would. “New…what?”

“Come along,” he said, helping her to a stand. “We’ve got to steer the TARDIS to somewhere to feed these instructions to the CVE.” She didn’t need to know that he also have to link himself to the Master’s TARDIS.

“But where’s the Master,” Tegan asked looking around the room quickly. “What happened to him?”

The Doctor admired this Earth person for a moment. There was a little in the way of true compassion in the universe. Most people would have not given the Master’s fate a second thought had he murdered someone close to them like the Master had murdered Tegan’s Auntie.

But yet here she was asking what happened to him, about his fate. That was something to be admired in a person. “He didn’t make it.” The Doctor didn’t truly know the Master’s fate except he wasn’t here to argue the point that he hadn’t made it.

“But I made it,” she argued as if that would mean that the Master should have too.

“Yes, well, you didn’t exactly have the corrupted powers of the Keeper flowing through your body as he did,” he explained before he exited the room where he had found her expecting her to follow him.

The loud clopping of her heels let him know that she had followed him closer than he anticipated in fact now she was blocking the passage that led directly to the console room. “I want you to know I didn’t understand a word you just said.”

“Simple physics, really. The Master had a positive charge about him when we entered the CVE,” he explained. “Apparently this is also a positively charged universe, so you could say he can’t exist in this universe.”

“Is he…is he dead?” She looked worried. As if it had been a choice of either him or her to make it through the CVE when it was more the Master’s fault than a normal if –then scenario. Had the Master not meddled in Traken then there would be the chance that the three of them instead of two.

“Highly unlikely,” said the Doctor, knowing it would take more than getting bumped out of a CVE to destroy the Master. “He was probably bounced back to Earth or some other primitive planet. He could be anywhere at any time in that universe,” explained the Doctor emphasizing the words ‘that universe’.

“Earth, primitive,” she replied haughtily. “I have you to know I disagree with that.”

“Of course you would because you haven’t seen Gallifrey,” argued the Doctor who managed to push her aside and swept passed her.

“At this rate I probably won’t,” she grumbled behind him as they both entered the dark and gloomy console room.

“Well, at least, the Master deactivated the archon energy field before he was expelled out of his TARDIS,” said the Doctor as he started to program the console for the link up. Then he realized that something had changed. He was no longer in the other universe, and that something else had changed. “And this has put off the inevitable it seems.”

“What inevitable,” she asked.

The Doctor looked at her. It seemed he would be traveling with her for sometime and that she might need to know sooner rather than later about what was _supposed_ to occur in relation to him. He’d have to depend on her solely. “Can I trust you with a secret, Tegan?”

Tegan crossed her arms in front of her and looked directly at him. “I don’t see how you have much choice.”

She had a point there, the Doctor thought. “Yes…well…we hardly know one another, do we?”

“Yeah, I think I knew you for about twenty minutes and then I found myself gutting a computer for you,” she groused in response.

“As well as you risking your life for me not two hours after we met,” said the Doctor referring to the Archon Energy Field that had could have killed her within a nanosecond had it been active on the console. “That was very foolish of you by the way,” The Doctor scolded Tegan.

“I know my place in the pecking order of things, Doc,” she explained to him. “I don’t know how to save the universe and it seems that you do. So if I needed to sacrifice my life in order to save yours so you could save the universe then that’s how things it would have went. No worries.”

The Doctor stopped his search for the linking program for a moment and pondered what she just said. “Suddenly, I feel overly important.”

“Nothing overly about it. You are important. You’re going to save the universe…right,” she said, as the Doctor went back to his search for the linking program.

“That’s what I hope to do at least,” he admitted. It was all about timing and he had a feeling they’re time was running short. It took days to link with the TARDIS and then there was the mapping of this universe that had to be done. Time was against them.


	3. Comparisons

It had been hours since the link up with the Master’s TARDIS had begun and hours still since he started the mapping program. The clatter of heels became louder and louder until Tegan appeared in the console room…again.

“Ah, there you are,” said the Doctor as if he hadn’t seen her all day when in fact if he calculated right this was the four—”

“I thought your TARDIS was crazy,” said Tegan apparently not only out of patience but out of breath as well. Had she been running in those ridiculous shoes of hers? “This one is even worse.”

The Doctor felt slighted at her accusation.“My TARDIS crazy?!”

“Yeah, all those winding corridors; it’s how I got lost in there in the first place,” she admitted, her face letting on that she was none too pleased about the event.

“Well, once you figure out the pattern to the corridors; it’s really simple to get around the TARDIS.”

“Easy for you to say,” she said as she joined him next to the console.

“Of course it’s easy for me to say, I’m the Doctor after all,” he said proudly.

“Well, compared to this TARDIS, Doc, yours is a cake walk.”

“Why do you say that?”

“At least I was able to get somewhere in yours. This is the fourth time I’ve come back to the console room.”

“Yes, well, this is a Type 80 TARDIS. It’s rather a monster in size and complexity in comparison to mine.”

He could feel her eyes boring into the back of his head then. “And you know how to fly this one, right?”

“Of course I do. All Time Lords are certified to fly type 80s. It’s the type 40s that takes a bit of finesse and good old fashioned know how to fly,” he admitted. The statement was true. It was like being licensed to fly a commercial airliner, with all of the flight information pouring over the computers that most likely could tell you if a bee landed on the wing or not; whereas flying a type 40 you took the same commercial pilot and asked him to fly across the Atlantic in a plane with no windows. They could do it but it would take some innovation and talent to reverse engineer their flight capabilities not to mention brushing up on navigational skills. Some would find flying the windowless plane easier than flying a commercial jet liner or vice versa.

Time ticked by in silence. His linking with the TARDIS was going well but Tegan had fallen silent. He found the silence uneasy so he decided on making small talk with her. He flipped a switch to see how the progress was going on the mapping.

“Well, she’s mapping this sector now,” said the Doctor, trying to ease into some sort of conversation with the earth woman.

“How long will that take?” Tegan naturally asked.

“About twelve standard hours,” he said, not being completely forthcoming.

“Twelve hours,” said Tegan in what seemed in complete disbelief and horror. “But that CVE thingy?!”

The Doctor checked the scanner once more to confirm his suspicion. “It’s stable for now. Care for a little reckie about the Master’s TARDIS,” he asked Tegan. The last thing he needed was her telling him how bored she had become.

Tegan gave him a guarded look from where she had stood by him in silence for hours. “I’m afraid to,” she admitted.

The Doctor made his way over to where the door led to the internal corridors and opened it. “Why not? The Master just your run of the mill evil Time Lord. No one special,” said the Doctor, giving her one of his brilliant smiles he was famous for.


	4. Life, the Universe, and Everything

In tandem they turned right, at a fork in the corridors. The linking with the TARDIS was nearly finished and he estimated that by the time they got really lost in the Master’s TARDIS the link would be done and they wouldn’t be lost anymore. The good part in all this was the fact that they hadn’t returned to the console room. Then the young Earth woman would found out that he was indeed lost as much as she aside from the fact that she was following him, of course.

They took several more steps down the corridor when the young Earth woman asked him: “What did you mean by postponing the inevitable?”

“Oh that subject again,” he said. It had been a good hour since he mentioned in the console room. Apparently, Miss Jovanka had a wonderful memory to his displeasure. It meant that he couldn’t get away with changing the subject to derail her completely.“Well…nothing too important really,” he remarked. “Just a change of life thing you might say.”

“I still don’t understand, Doctor,” she responded.

He had his doubts that any of them, that is, Nyssa, Tegan or Adric would fully understand regeneration. Nyssa would have been the more knowledgeable one in the end, but certainly not Tegan he’d wager. She most likely took him to be some sort of advanced human. “Yes, well…the watcher…you know who the watcher is, correct?”

“Yeah,” said Tegan nodding.

“Well, you might say, he’s my future self but in an incomplete form,” he rushed on with his explanation, hoping to bewilder the young woman to such an extent that she would get frustrated and leave it at that.

“Future self?” asked Tegan.

There was no skating by on simple explanations with this one. Shame, he thought. “When a Timelord dies…,” he began but she interrupted him. “I thought you said you’re a Gally-what-ever-it-was.”

“Gallifreyan. Yes, I am. But we can manipulate our DNA…you do know what DNA is right?” He really hoped she did.

“Yes, I’ve heard of it,” she said, nodding in reply.

“Well, when a Gallifreyan finishes a Timelord academy he becomes a Time Lord.”

“And that’s what you are,” she said, making the connection.

“Well…yes.”

“And the Master is….”

The Master…was someone different so long ago. He had been someone he could trust, someone he could have a worthy intellectual discussion with at one point. But now all the Master was now was a madman that had control of a TARDIS. The Doctor blew out a sigh. “…was a Time Lord who found other means to extend his life.” Which didn’t really make him a Time Lord anymore.

“You mean he’s supposed to be…dead,” she asked, continuing on the same tangent of questioning.

“In many ways he already is,” said the Doctor, reflecting more about his former colleague and friend. “But enough about him. Time Lords are granted twelve regenerations and well…when a Time Lord dies we regenerate. We become new again.”

She seemed to understand. “You mean you turn into a child again?”

The Doctor found some humor in what she had assumed and chuckled briefly in response. “No, we remain in our adult forms. But different from our previous form.”

“I was fixing to say, I barely made it through puberty on the first go around. I can’t imagine doing that twelve times.”

The Doctor was amused by the point she made. But there was more. “Well, in a way we go through a small time where we’re not quite ourselves in the head and it does take us a short while to get used to our new bodies.”

“That sounds like puberty all right.”

“Except in regards to regeneration it’s generally measured in hours and not years.”

“Lucky you,” she groused in response. “So you’re saying your due for one of these regenerations?”

“I was…well…I might still be. Who really knows?” Not him that was for certain.

“Is there any special instructions or something you’ll need me to know about if this regeneration thing happens,” she asked him sounding truly concerned.

“If it does happen, keep me close to the TARDIS. Well, as close as possible. And if you manage to get me back inside, don’t let me wander out for about forty-eight hours afterwards,” he said, as he continued to walk ahead, again, expecting her to follow. “Outside of that, there’s not much else you can do, except perhaps stay out of my sight. Sometimes things go awry. I wouldn’t want to accidentally harm you.”

Tegan snorted behind him and he came to a halt. “Oh, it’s okay to kidnap me and then fly me through a giant hole in space where you gave me a fifty percent chance of my survival but you might not want to harm me. Nice to know, Doc.”

The Doctor turned around and faced her square on. It was time to settle this once and for all. He didn’t want the Earth woman throwing that into his face every time she felt slighted. “First, I didn’t kidnap you. You wandered into my TARDIS on your own accord. And the circumstances that we find ourselves in are completely beyond my control. So there’s no need for you to blame me for the mess you find yourself in, Tegan.”

“Rabbits,” she shouted, stomping her foot soundly against the floor.

“What is it now,” he wondered.

The Earth woman pouted. She actually pouted, as if she was some sort of child. “I’m going to lose my job over this.”

The Doctor silently counted to ten and blew out a sigh. “Let’s just hope we’re able to intervene in time to save our universe so you still have a planet to go back to.”

The Doctor then took the opportunity to open the nearest door and looked inside. “What are you looking for anyway,” she asked.

“The Master’s workshop,” he revealed.

“Why?”

“It’s the most likely place where he keeps a light-speed overdrive handy as well as a spare controller for the gravitational damper,” he revealed, closing the door that apparently didn’t lead to the Master’s workshop. Instead, it had been some sort of game room, containing every game imaginable; including a Terran game of Twister.

“What do you need the light-speed whatever it was for?”

“To accelerate the signal from where ever we’re able to find a transmitter like the one in Logopolis,” he explained. His patience was already running low and he continued on down the corridor hoping she would simply stop asking questions but that was most probably like asking molasses to stay put outside of being frozen. It would be slow going but eventually she’d run out of questions to bombard him with, at least he hope she would.

The Doctor continued on down the corridor until at least he ran into a dead end with a door off to the side. He opened the door as Tegan managed to finally catch up with him. “Well, well what do we have here….”

“Is it the Master’s workshop,” she asked.

“No, it’s his wardrobe. It works on the same principle as mine,” he informed her.

“Let me guess, you open the doors and you find your clothing hanging up on hangers, correct?”

What had she said? Oh that. He kept forgetting how much she truly didn’t know what was going on here. “What? Oh right, you haven’t been introduced to the TARDIS’s wardrobe, have you?”

“I didn’t know your wardrobe required an introduction to open its doors,” groused Tegan in reply.

“Well, it works sort of that way.”

“Sort of what way,” Tegan pressed for another answer. “You’re not making any sense.”

The Doctor was sure if he hadn’t already been informed of his regeneration ahead of time that this woman and her quizzical mind would be the death of him.“Well, I am trying to explain things in its simplest form to you.”

“Well, then, how does this wardrobe thing work?”

“You open the doors and walk in, chose your clothing, change in there if you like, and walk back out,” he explained in the simplest terms possible.

“Are you suggesting I should change out of my uniform?”

“Tegan, listen carefully,” he began.

“All right,” she said, crossing her arms in front of her and looking him straight in the eye.

“Are you listening?” He had to be sure she was listening, because he wasn’t going to explain it again to her…ever.

“Yes,” she said rather exasperatedly.

The Doctor took this to mean that she was indeed listening. “Now, when I send this signal from this universe to the CVE, I have no idea if I’ll ever get you back to Heathrow Airport in our universe. The program Monitor was working on is incomplete and I don’t have the proper computer in which to finish programming it onboard. We might not even find a compatible transmitter in your lifetime in this universe. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Yes,” she said, nodding at him.

“Good,” said the Doctor with some relief.

“You’ve cost me my job.”

“Will you stop complaining about your job and go in there and change into something more suitable for traveling,” shouted the Doctor at her after losing the last possible shred of patience he had after dealing with her and her little crusade about keeping her job at Heathrow Airport. His work was important too, for Gallifrey’s sake, and he wasn’t complaining about losing what he had lost because of this little side trip into the CVE!

“But Doctor, this is my air hostess uniform. It is suitable for traveling,” Tegan argued of course.

“Oh,” said the Doctor, giving her the once over. “So you’re telling me that you’ll be able scale high mountains and traverse vast deserts in your air hostess uniform?” He had his doubts.

Tegan frowned and then looked at herself once more. “I guess I’ll go change then,” she said sounding like she had been defeated.

“Good,” the Doctor replied as the door to the wardrobe shut.

Surprisingly, he was far from ascertaining what was left in is left pocket when Miss Jovanka exited the wardrobe. She wore a white dress with large purple flower prints all over it that reached her knees. The Doctor frowned at her footwear. A set of white pumps.

“Is this better?” she asked him.

“I don’t know,” he looked at her again. “Seems you traded one pair of impractical footwear for another, and this, this is completely unacceptable,” he said of her frilly dress.

“This was the only thing in there my size, Doc,” she retorted.

“Let me have a look see,” he said, determined to find her something with a bit more utility to wear.

“Sure thing if you like,” she grumbled as she walked into the wardrobe behind him.

The wardrobe was a bit on the Spartan side of things. Black. Black. And of course more black with matching black shoes of all sorts. The Master evidently had no imagination when it came to proper attire. “Well, we’ll have to do something about this. We can’t have you traipsing around the universe in that.”

“What’s wrong with this?” she asked, referring to her dress. “It’s pretty.”

“Pretty doesn’t equal practical, Miss Jovanka,” lectured the Doctor.

“But there’s nothing else but clothes for guys in here,” she noted and correctly as well. Nothing but endless racks of trousers, shirts and male frock coats; all black of course. “And I’m not about put any of that on, practical or not,” she complained.

“Why not? Practically is very important in time/space traveling,” the Doctor argued.

“Then why do you wear such a long scarf,” she pointed out while playing with a small length of his maroon scarf.

His scarves were his lifesavers, his rope, his bandages, a way to keep warm on those chilly nights when he found himself and Romana… _Romana_ …was gone. There was no sense in weeping over spilled tea as Adric had when he had argued against jettisoning Romana’s room prior to him being bungled up in this side adventure.

“Accessories don’t have to be practical,” he argued in defense of his scarf and the memories that it held within the confines of its threads; though he wore a different one before it didn’t make the one he was currently wearing any less a way of…remembering.

“Is there anywhere to eat on this crate,” she asked, bringing the Doctor out of his thoughts.

“What?”

“Eat. It’s something I have to do three times a day, Doc.”

“Care for a jelly baby while I try on this hat?” he asked, shoving a bag of the candy towards her with one hand and setting the interesting black hat with a giant white plume on his head.

“No thanks,” she said, shoving the bag of sweets away from her.

“What?” The Doctor was shocked. “You don’t want a jelly baby?”

“I want real food not candy.” Tegan declared. The Earth woman looked decidedly angry.

“Oh…I suppose your right,” he said opting to leaving the frilly feathery black hat behind. “Well, let’s go find the galley,” he said leading the way out the wardrobe door.

He entered just as the kettle he managed to find for their tea began to whistle shrilly.

“So, are you enjoying the food?” The Master had at least been kind enough to leave a bit of tea and Terran food behind though the Doctor guessed that Terran and Traken food would be terribly similar, and of course there were those food capsules from Gallifrey he had left behind as well….

“No,” she grumbled from where she was seated behind him sounding frustrated.

The Doctor whirled around to see what she meant. “What?”

“I can’t get this open,” she said tossing the package of food that had been labeled Meals Ready to Eat on the outside of the brown packaging. The Master had apparently been bargaining for Terran military meals though he wasn’t sure which military would eat such a meal without staging a mutiny in protest. However, it was all they had till the link was done when he could start reprogramming everything to suit him and Tegan during their stay on the TARDIS.

The Doctor picked up the package of food and gave it a good tug and the contents which were simply more packaging spilled on the table in front of her. “There you go.”

“Thanks,” said Tegan, shoving the mess away, apparently losing her appetite. “For a minute there I thought have to chew my way through.”

“You don’t look too happy.”

Tegan sighed and then looked at him. “You blame me? My Auntie is dead, and I’m stuck in some evil man’s time ship thingy for what might be for the rest of my life with my kidnapper and I probably lost my job. How can things get any worse?”

“Do you really want to know?” The Doctor could think of a thousand ways how things could get worse, and one of them would be to eat what passed for food on the TARDIS.

“No,” she said, declining his lecture on how things could be worse for her.

“Good. And I’m not your kidnapper. Kidnapping implies that I planned to remove you from your surroundings, which I did not.”

“Sure feels that way. I’m not here by my choice.”

“I realize that, Tegan, but you’re here none the less and you should use your time here more productively,” he offered.

“Like what?”

“Read a book.”

“Boring.”

“Do a puzzle.”

“I hate puzzles.”

“Learn advanced statistical modeling.”

Tegan sighed heavily. “I hate maths.”

“Is there anything that you like to do?”

“I like talking,” she revealed.

“I haven’t noticed.”

After a moment she shrugged and said; “I draw a little.”

“Then perhaps you should paint a portrait.”

“Of who?”

“Me, you, or perhaps that bowl of fruit over there. Anything to keep your mind off things.”

“What will you do?” she asked, seemingly concerned of what kept him sane was.

“Well, I don’t know,” the Doctor shrugged. “I had thought about exploring the Master’s library; see what he’s been reading.”

“Why would you care?”

“While it’s good to know what your friends know, it’s even better to know what your enemies know,” he offered.

“Mind if I ask you a question?”

A question? How wonderful, as she never asked questions, thought the Doctor sarcastically.“Go on.”

“Why did you demand that I come along and stand next to you when you did in the console room?”

“Oh that…”

“Yeah.”

“Well, for one you were standing next to the Master,” he began his explanation. “I also suspected that if he would have been rejected by the CVE because of the lingering powers the Keeper so would anyone near him. I was afraid he was going to take you with him if he had leave in a rush like he did. And in that case I’m sure you would have perished.”

“I see.”

“Do you?”

“I see that your lot is stark raving mad,” she said, sounding even more frustrated than before.

“Mad? I saved your life and you call me mad?”

“I saved yours first, and you practically called me mad as well,” she countered his argument.

“Well, I suppose we’re even then.”

“And what’s the second reason.”

“Second reason?”

“Well you did say for one which implies that you had more than one reason, Doctor.”

“I wanted to be there for you in case…well…you’ve lost so much already,” he admitted.

“You wanted to comfort me in case I didn’t make it?”

“Yes, something along those lines,” he confided to her. “See, I do feel sort of responsible for this mess we find ourselves in.”

“Well, it’s nice to know that you have some form of conscience when it comes to life, the universe and everything,” she said to him in a terse tone.

“And some would say I have too much of a conscience.” Mainly Borusa, the Master and half of the universe as well. They reminded him of that fact all the time.

“You mean some people would have let me die even though they knew how to save me?”

“I’m afraid so. The Timelords aren’t very indulgent when it comes to such interferences,” he inferred.

“Are you saying I was suppose to die back there and the only reason I didn’t, was because of your good graces?!” She was standing now, her eyes flashing with anger.

“My dear Tegan,” he began. “You’re not even suppose be on this TARDIS.”


	5. Portrait

Tegan dragged her paint brush which was loaded a bright red across the canvas until she pulled the brush back in mid-stroke and decided that that had been a mistake. Like this whole situation, she thought to herself, had been a mistake. _“You’re not even supposed to be on this TARDIS,”_ he had told her only an hour ago. In her mind that meant she was supposed to either be dead or on a plane serving tea on her first flight to Australia, not here painting what-ever it was she was painting on an easel in the middle of a Time/spacecraft with some mad scientist who called himself the Doctor.

The door opened to the ‘Art’ room as the Doctor had called it earlier and the Doctor bundled in, his insanely long scarf trailing behind him while carrying a book with him as he thumbed through the pages. “How is that portrait of yours going,” he asked absently.

Tegan frowned and looked at the Doctor and then back at the painting. “Awful. I’ve never worked with paints before,” she admitted to the Doctor who was busily thumbing his way through the book he brought in still. “I’m afraid you’re turning out to look more like Bozo the clown. Any luck with Master’s library?”

The Doctor shrugged his shoulders. “It’s pretty much all standard Timelord reading material, save a few books on how to conquer the universe.”

“Now I know you’re kidding me.”

“No, I’m not,” said the Doctor to her and held the front of the book to her. “See?”

“See what?” It was nothing but gibberish on the front cover; covered in some secret form of code that was only known to scientists.

“Can’t you read the title,” the Doctor asked, looking at the front of the book himself.

“No, looks to be all gibberish to me. Couple triangles, circles and a few dots here and there.” The title of the book was no better than a mathematical equivalent to Picasso.

“Come here, Tegan and look into my eyes.”

For a moment Tegan considered his request. In no stretch of the imagination did the Doctor look like Bela Lugosi in those old Dracula movies but she didn’t exactly know him well enough to say they were mates that had known one another for years and years. Instead they’ve only known each other for hours but the good thing about Doctor Who-ever he was; was that he hadn’t made a pass at her. He was too occupied with other things but now he wanted her to go over there and look into his eyes that had to do with that strange book he had been reading.

One only lived once, well at least she did. Tegan put down her paints and paintbrush on a nearby crate and walked over next to Doctor. “What are you going to do?”

“I’m connecting your mind to TARDIS’s translation circuits,” the Doctor informed her.

“You can do that,” she guessed, shifting her eyes to his; staring right into them.

“Yes,” he said. It was the same feeling she had when they first met up in his TARDIS. A tiny vibrating feeling, almost like a tiny bee buzzing round inside of her head. “There, all done,” the Doctor declared.

Tegan swayed. “I feel dizzy.”

“That will go away in a few seconds.”

“Wait, if you just connected me to the translation circuits that would mean that you know how to speak English,” she said. It was odd to think that if the Doctor was an alien that he could have mastered a language so well that he spoke it as if it was his native language; accent and all!

“Yes, the Master and I both are able to speak English,” said the Doctor. “Though it is quite relieving to speak Gallifreyan now. English is such a cumbersome language.”

“Cumbersome language….” The man’s ego was a mile high! It wasn’t the first time he’d insulted Earth. Earlier on when he said that Earth was primitive she thought he was joking but the more of the TARDIS she saw the more she believed him.

“Now read the book title,” he ordered.

Tegan looked down at the front of the book and saw that the title had indeed come into focus. “How I Conquered the Universe by a mouth full of syllables.”

“What?” The Doctor seemed confused but only for a moment as he looked at the author’s name once more. “Oh yes, his name would be cumbersome for an English speaker.” The Doctor acknowledged. This made Tegan a little bit happy she finally got something right. “Never mind that. Back to your portrait then.”

Tegan walked over to her portrait while the Doctor turned in a swirl of maroon and curls and walked towards the door. “Where are you going now?” Tegan wondered

“I’m going back to the console room,” he told her as he stopped by her portrait of him. She didn’t have any confidence at all about the painting that they were both staring at. “The mapping should be done…great Gallifrey…you were right. That portrait of me does look more like Bozo the clown than me,” he complained. And Tegan knew he had every right to complain.

She had used the wrong color for his hair. Somehow it ended up being a mess of red spirals around an oblong head. She had made the mistake of using white for his skin tone with gobs of black green and blue to make up his eyes. Big red lips that extended (accidently) from one side of his face. To be honest she hadn’t painted in years and this deplorable rendition of the Doctor was the result. It looked more like something a two year old would paint than a 21 year old, Tegan observed glumly.

Tegan sighed heavily. “I tried to warn you. I’m no good at this.”

“Well, at least you got the symmetry right,” he said. Oh sure, the oddball eyes were above the nose which in turn was above his very large red and wide mouth which was contained in a large circle and with red springy hair on the outside of that. Yes, she had the symmetry bit right save the ears. Lord! Her portrait Doctor had no ears! The Doctor patted her on the shoulder. “Keep trying; I’m sure you’ll get it, given time. Back in two shakes,” he said as he left the art room, opening and closing door behind him.

“If you say so,” she said picking up her brush determined to add ears to the Doctor’s portrait.


	6. Paints

Tegan opened the door she felt that led to the console room. She eased the door open but it still made a loud enough noise that would disturb him.

“Ah there you are.”

“Here I am again.” Tegan leaned against the console. The Doctor was busy with something on the opposite side of the console. Presumably, he was still tinkering with the navigation system.

“How come I was able to find the console room so quickly this time?”

“The TARDIS helped you find your way.”

“I see. Any luck?” She hoped he had better luck with his work than she had with her potraits.

‘No, the TARDIS is still scanning.”

“Oh.” So much for luck.

“Why the long face?”

“I think you already know why, and besides what’s going to happen to your friends?”

“My friends?”

“You know Adric and Nyssa.”

“Oh…well…I’m afraid the Timelords will have to interfere on their behalf.”

“How?”

The Doctor stopped his work or if that's what you would call what he was doing by pressing buttons and flipping switches on the console. “I really haven’t time to answer all your questions, Tegan.”

“Sorry, it’s just there’s no one else to talk with around here.” She would talk to herself but she was afraid that she would start answering herself.

“You could continue to paint.”

“Well about that…”

“What?”

“I am afraid I’ve used all the paints already.” Tegan picked at the remains of the paint that had dried on her nails.

“What? There was enough there to last for forty paintings or so.”

“How long do you think we’ve been here, Doctor?”

“About a day.”

“And forty-four paintings later.” She had time to paint everything under the sun so to speak. People, animals, landscapes, the lot of it. If she went at it any longer she'd be able to paint the a better Mona Lisa.

“You’ve painted forty-four paintings already?”

Tegan nodded. Maybe he would get the message this time.

“Yeah, I was incredibly bored. So I painted and now I have no more paints. So I’m bored again.”

The Doctor stopped what he was doing and looked at her as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. Then he went back to his work with the console.

“You sound so much like a child, Tegan. I don’t know whether to scold you or send you to your room without supper for using all the paints.”

Tegan rolled her eyes at the Doctor at that. And she begged to differ on her age.

“I’m twenty-one, I have you to know. Not a child, Doctor.”

“Where have I heard that before? But never mind that,” The Doctor scratched his head then. “I suppose while the TARDIS is finishing with the scanning we can land and have a look around and see if we can find more paint for you and maybe a computer or two for me.”


	7. Needles

Tegan stepped out of the TARDIS and pulled the door closed behind her. As she suspected there was a chill in the air. She was happy she had the forethought of finding a thick fur coat stuffed away in a seemingly unused portion of the wardrobe. It was of course black like everything else inside the TARDIS. The sky wasn't any different from Earth's blue with a single sun. Nothing like Star Wars. This explained why the grass was also green, she thought to herself. The TARDIS had dropped them on an open plain with a mass of tall grass and the Doctor was just a few feet away plucking up the grass in handfuls and examined it, she assumed to pass the time. Tegan turned and glanced at the TARDIS behind her.

“Why does the Master’s TARDIS look just like yours? A police box.”

The Doctor crossed the small distance that separated him and the TARDIS in question. He petted it as if he was proud or something about it.

“Yes, well…I had to tinker a bit with the chameleon circuit, but luckily for us, the shape and image of the police box was saved in the recent files section of the chameleon circuit buffer or else we would have a difficult time finding it again.”

The Doctor passed something to her then. It was a key.

“In case we get separated, come back to the TARDIS and wait for me and touch nothing in the console room.”

“How did you make this?”

Did he have a locksmith's shop int that thing as well? Next thing he'd be telling her the Master was hiding a whole ocean in there!

“More questions….”

The Doctor sounded like her father. Not particularly caring for all her questions.

“Let’s go then.”

Before she could complain about his avoidance of the answer he was off, striding towards an unknown destination. Tegan raced into action, secreting loathing her genetics that had made her so much different in height compared to the Doctor that she guessed that she would be running most of the way.

And her guess was correct. The Doctor's long strides across the grassy plain made him difficult company. She was running just to keep him up with him. But that wasn't the worse of it.

“My feet hurt.”

“I’m not surprised.” The Doctor called back over his shoulder. “I did warn you.”

“Well, can’t we just stop to rest for a moment?”

“There’s a village right up there.” The Doctor pointed and Tegan's gaze followed the same path. He was right there was a village up ahead. She could see women mulling around at the village doing their daily chores while the men were no where in sight. Then she ran into the Doctor's back. He had stopped. But now she was headed towards the ground, at least, until the Doctor caught her.

“Something’s not right.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice, my feet are killing me.”

“Will you stop complaining about your feet and be quiet so I can think.”

“Compassionate, eh? You’re about as compassionate as a porcupine.”

“Porcupine? That’s it...needles!”

“What?”

“Those towers over there look like aerials.”

“Technology. But the village it looks like it’s from the Middle Ages. Unless….”

“Unless what?”

“Some of the farms in Brisbane were built in the early 1800’s or something like that, but they have aerials as well because the owners never bother rebuilding the house. They just keep repairing it.”

“But look at the people’s clothes.”

“They don’t look very advanced at all.”

“That’s because they are all made by hand by the looks of it. Come on.”

“But what about my feet?”

“Come on!”

The Doctor took her by the hand and pulled her into motion behind him. It was painful but she was walking. Tegan gritted her teeth against the pain the shoes were causing her and noticed that they must have been walking for hours was close to the horizon. That or the days were shorter here. She wasn't about to ask Doctor Know-It-All, he'd tell her just to be quiet again.

Finally, he released her hand and soon she was able to walk at her own pace, noting that the Doctor was getting farther and farther ahead. That was just fine for her. Tegan slowed her pace trying to keep her sore feet from getting worse.

The Doctor approached a villager who seemed to be somewhat dressed better than the others.

“Hello, there! I’m the Doctor and…well…”

The Doctor looked around him and found that Tegan was no where close to him. In fact she was walking a good five minute pace behind him.

“That’s Tegan back there. She’s having problems with her feet.”

“We had a couple who recently moved out of the village, perhaps, you and your wife can rest there.”

How absurd! Him married to _that_ gobby Earthling. The man must be feverish.

“Oh I believe you’re gravely mistaken. Tegan is my…well…she’s just Tegan.”

The man's expression on his face had practically grew violet with his answer.

“A woman traveling with a man without her being his wife? That’s expressively forbidden on Drusenda.”

“Oh I see, now about these aerials.”

“Hell’s teeth, Doctor, don’t you realize my legs aren’t as long as yours? You could have waited up for me.”

Five minutes? Well, that was more like two. Either her feet had stopped hurting or she had gotten her second wind.

“Not now, Tegan.”

The Doctor turned his attention back on the stranger then.“The aerials…and you said your name was?”

“I didn’t but…I am Ronick. I’m the chieftain here. There’ll be an inquiry, you know.”

The man was like a starving dog with a bone. Had he had K-9 here, but he wasn't so he would have to exercise his great charisma and use diversionary tactics to keep him off guard. But him and his companion being a subject of an inquiry within a few minutes of arriving at village? That had to be some sort of record.

“Inquiry into what?”He might as well ask.

“Into why you’re traveling with this man without him being your husband.”

“Such a trivial faux pas. I’m sure these aerials will prove to be much more interesting.”

Well, he was trying to divert the man's attention to what the real mystery was about.

“Trivial you say? It’s punishable by death.”

Not another one of these planets. He didn't know Tegan very well but he knew her time period well enough that this kind of silly game wouldn't go over well with her.

“You’ll kill someone over who they are allowed to travel with?”

“Not just someone. The both of you could be put to death for it.”

“Well there you go, Tegan, we’ve been found out.” The Doctor backpedalled and put his arm around Tegan and drew her closer to him. “And you said it was a good idea to elope and run away.”

“You can’t blame this on me for this! You’re the one who practically dragged me here.”

Tegan's elbow was incredibility sharp. He pretended it was nothing more than a love tap.

“Well, you’re the one who was complaining about your feet. So here we are.” The Doctor said moving away from Tegan and through his arm around Ronick and turning him away from Tegan and led him closer to an aerial.

“Now about these aerials.”

Ronick broke away from the Doctor's hold, and extended his arm out in a invitation. “It’s getting close to sunset. The two of you should retire to your new home.”

“What?” Tegan was like an unstoppable force as she approached Ronick. “Are you mad? I’m not—”

The Doctor embraced Tegan and squeezed her shoulders hard enough that he hoped that she got the message to shut it. It was either that our he had broken both of her shoulders and she couldn't berate Ronick more.

“Thank you, Ronick. Your kindness is greatly appreciated. Now where is that place you’ll lend us for the night?”


	8. Wedding Night

A hovel was certainly a better way of describing the place they had been given to spend the night. It was nothing more than a home that was sectioned out into small areas. There were no walls separating the kitchen from the dining room, the bedroom and the living space. The primitive hearth was the only thing that separated the bed and the kitchen. No wondered the previous residents had moved out. The place was completely unhygienic.

Tegan quickly made her way to the only seat in the home. One of the two chairs at the table that could be arguably be the kitchen. Despite the fact she was seated near the food preparation area Tegan eased her feet out of the wretched heels that had been nothing but a monster to her feet.

“Why did you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Stop me from giving him a piece of my mind.”

The Doctor had been staring out the window out of the front room. He turned and made his way to the other chair which was on the opposite side of her own. Despite her pain wracked feet she gave him her full attention.

“If women here aren’t allowed to travel without their husbands, how many of them do you think are allowed to speak their mind? Besides I have a feeling these people take their laws very seriously. One slip up and we could both end up dead.”

“No, just me. You’ll just end up being another person.”

If everything that the Doctor had said about regeneration could be believed. But there a greater game afoot to be had.

“So did you get any information about those aerials outside?”

“No…”

Just then the door to the hovel opened and a young man her age walked in. He was all smiles. What kind of place was this if people could just walk in without knocking?

“Greetings. I’m Cassis, son of Ronick and Kayla. I hope I’m not interrupting.”

The young man ignored him, and walked around the Doctor and headed straight to the table. It was clear that the young man was attracted to her.

“No, you’re not; I was having a small conversation with my wife, Tegan.”

Tegan's heart sunk as soon as the Doctor said that. The young man set the tray down on the table without breaking contact with her. It was flattering.

“Hello.”

It was after she had said that his smile had turned into a frown. His eyes went from flirty to anger. Cassis in fact turned on his heel and faced the Doctor.

“Could you please remind your wife of the rules? She’s not allowed to address me.”

“What? That’s ridiculous.”

The Doctor moved quickly over to where she was and spun around; placing himself between her and Cassis.

“Tegan, you really wouldn’t want me to get angry with you again, would you? Please stop talking to this young gent.”

Well, he had certainly changed his tune in a hurry. He had gone from friendly to threatening. But she knew when she was being told to shut it. It was just a matter of agreeing with it.

“Have it your way.”

“Thanks so much for that, sir…um…”

Cassis was such an oddball. On one hand he was polite to the Doctor and on the other he was rude to her.

“Doctor.”

“Doctor who?”

“Just Doctor. Now what is it you came here for?”

“Father and Mother bids you welcome. The food is a welcoming gift from our family.”

A gift was a gift.

“Great, I’m starved!”

“Will you just shut it?! Clearly, Cassis is talking to me and you ought to know your place by now!”

Tegan did everything she could not to-

“That’s telling her, sir.” The gorgeous young man had turned into a misogynistic pig. All right before her eyes.

“I hear tell that some women need a whipping or two to put them into their proper place.”

“What?!”

There was a limit to her silence and the young man had just crossed it. Whipping women to put them in their place. But then she noticed that the Doctor was discretely waving her off with his hand behind his back so she backed down. At least for now. She took a fruit that looked similar to an apple from the tray and bit into it. It tasted like an apple but with a hint of cinnamon sprinkled in it. It was a flavor that hinted at a breakfast cereal she once had but more fresh. It was an apple pie orgy in mouth but no baking needed. Tegan ignored the men as she indulged herself with food that had been brought to them. It didn't take the pain away from her feet but it certainly ended the hunger she had been feeling since they arrived in the village.

“I doubt that will necessary for Tegan. We’re newlyweds you see.”

“Here for your honeymoon then?”

“Um…something of that sort. Now what can you tell me about those aerials?”

“Aerials?”

“The really tall structures that are based on the four corners of this village.”

“Oh you mean the pylons.”

“Yes, of course, those. What are they for?”

“Communication with the empire, of course. Haven’t you seen them before?”

“Of course we have. Right, Tegan?”

“Hundreds of times.”

It was a lie but who cared? Obviously not the Doctor. She would play his little game. It was obvious that the Doctor was just trying to get the young man to talk to him about the structures.

“Well then you should know that they’re across the entire planet. The empire uses them also to transport their envoys here.”

“Mind if I ask for what purpose do these envoys serve?”

“They arrive every twenty five years, didn’t you know that?”

“Of course I did. Right, Tegan?”

“Sure.” Again a useless bit of information.

“When are they due to arrive again?”

“Within the week, sir. They’ll be here to collect their tribute.”

“What’s their tribute?”

“Women, sir. For a man of the world you don’t know much.”

Tegan tossed the 'apple' core into what she had gathered was the rubbish bin.

“You can say that again.”

“If your wife continues to talk like that to you; you can always send her as part of the tribute and find another woman for yourself.”

“Send Tegan as tribute?” The Doctor acted mortified at the thought. The more she stayed with this Doctor the more she appreciated his acting skills.

“Absolutely not! Why I absolutely adore her. And she adores me, right, Tegan?”

“I’m completely head over heels for him.”

“She doesn't sound very convincing.”

“Well, we had a long walk today, so her feet hurt. And she was wearing impractical footwear. You know the sort, always trying to impress upon their husbands by how much torture they’re willing to go through to prove that they love them.”

“Confidence issues. Yes, I know the sort. Doctor.”

It was then Cassis was lucky that her feet were killing her. Or else she would have bunged the ingrate in the nose.

“Yes, thanks for the chat, Cassis, but I better feed her or she’ll be up all night screeching about this and that. I would hate to have to whip her on our wedding night.”

“You better not.”

“If you need any help with her, we have a village stocks that we can put her in to teach her a thing or two about humility and respect for us males.”

“Of course. Good night.”

The door closed and with Cassis gone it was a good time as in to let her anger become unhinged. “I can’t believe it! They treat their women like…”

“Keep your voice down! Do you want them to hear you speaking to me like that?”

“I’ve had enough of this place. I’m leaving!”

And she would have if it hadn't been painful to stand.

The Doctor knelt in front of her and took her by the shoulders. “Don’t you understand? You step outside without me or without having a proper reason to be out there, they’ll throw you in the stocks and maybe you’ll even have to endure a public flogging because of your behavior. Not all worlds are as progressive as Earth in equitable treatment between the sexes.”

“But we can’t stay here. They think that we’re married.”

She realized that it was a nonsensical complaint but still—married to him? A nearly complete stranger. We

“Yes, I know. Well…I suppose it could be worse.”

“How so?”

“They could believe that you’re my mother instead.”

“How’s that worse?” It was a joke. And he knew it, given the smile that had exploded across his face then. Good for him. At least he had a sort of maddening sense of humor. She found herself quick to reciprocate his smile.

“Then again you’re probably more suited for that role than this one. But that doesn’t matter right now.”

“And I suppose you’re going to tell me what does?”

“Getting you into some practical shoes and clothing, that’s what matters the most at this point.”

“Said the pot to the kettle.”

“What?” The Doctor examined his own clothing.

“Oh this, yes, well it will have to do for the time being. But you’re the one who is the proverbial sore thumb here. Back in two shakes.”

It wasn't her thumb that was sore. Within a moment he was off. He opened the door and paused for a moment then the Doctor turned to her.

“Do not leave this home for any reason outside of it being on fire. You do understand, right?”

To be honest that would be the only reason why she would even get up out of the chair.

“I guess so. But you do promise to be quick, right? I don’t like it here.”

“Of course I promise to be quick about it. After all it’s our wedding night.”

Tegan rolled her eyes at his little nuptial joke after he had disappeared outside.

“Wonderful.”

 


	9. The Master's Old Shoes

Despite it being early evening there was a bit of a nip in the air, which made climbing the pylon difficult. As he suspected no one questioned about why he was out and about. In fact the only people who seemed out and about were the men. His guess of this backwards societies norms had been correct. An extreme patriarchal society that harbored an extreme misogynistic view. It was places like this that the Master could rule with impunity, and obviously the Empire, whoever they were, did. The Empire kept them under control by taking their women away. To what end, he wondered. But for now he must concern himself with determining the suitability of the so called pylon of transmitting the programming to hold the CVE open. With that, the Doctor began to climb higher.

“Is your wife giving you a hard time, Doctor?”

The Doctor looked down from the pylon and saw Ronick standing below.

“Who?”

“Your wife. I believe you call her Tegan.”

“Oh her. No she’s been absolutely splendid.”

“Then why else would be climbing on the pylon other than to publicly denounce her to the village?”

The Doctor scaled down the small distance and jumped down if nothing but to prove to the native that he was a force to be reckoned with. Apparently, the man had an unhealthy fascination with his new companion who was doing a tip-top job posing as his wife.

“Oh that, I was just curious.”

“Curious about what?”

“How it works.”

“The control room is that way should you want to see how it works. But only the elders of the village are allowed in there. You get caught going in without permission and you and your wife will pay the penalty for you trespassing there.”

“And what penalty is that, Ronick?”

“Death, of course. It’s the only penalty for any violation on this world, Doctor. I’m sure you know that by now.

Not that he was surprised to hear that...but he was for some odd reason. A world where women were scarce yet they would kill anyone for _anything._ How absurd was that?

“And where’s the justice in that, Ronick?”

“No one violates the law. It’s the supreme deterrent of criminal intentions.”

“And if you violate the law in order to save someone’s life or perhaps an entire civilization, what then? Do you find it necessary to kill the heroes as well?”

“Yes, of course. I heard that there were some dissenters of the order that we have on our world. I really do hope you’re not one of them, because if so….”

“My life would be forfeit. I understand.”

“As well as your lovely wife’s life.”

Somehow, he doubted that.

“Now, Doctor, tell me why you are out of your home on this most joyous occasion? I’m sure your wife is waiting for you in anticipation of things to come this night.”

“What?”

“It’s your wedding night. I’m sure you’re not so completely inept that you don’t know what occurs during the wedding night.”

“Clothes. I was searching for some clothes for my wife.”

Ronick let out a full belly laugh then.

“On the pylon? That’s rich. I’ll have my wife bring her some in the morning.”

The Doctor entered the home as if he was being chased by the very devil himself. He carefully closed the door behind him and looked out the window. Ronick was busily talking with two men who the Doctor guessed were guards. After the Ronick had left the guards and walked into the darkness the Doctor turned around and noticed that Tegan had went to bed. The Doctor went over and sat next to her. He briefly contemplated their situation.

“Tegan?”

“Yes?”

She replied as if she was at that place between truly trying to go to sleep and trying to stay awake. His eyes caught sight of her abandoned shoes. Swathes of dark red decorated the insides of her shoes. It could have been something left over from their previous owners. The Master's cruelty knew no bounds. So she would able to put them on and wearing them, making their escape easier than most of his previous adventures.

“We’ve got to get out of here.”

Tegan rolled over then and she looked thoroughly confused at his revelation.

“Why?”

“Because this world only has one punishment for everything and that’s death.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“I know it is but we need to leave as soon as possible.”

“But we can’t.”

It was the Doctor's turn to be confused. He turned and faced her then.

“What? Why not?”

“My feet. They’re covered in blisters.”

A guard walked by. The Doctor eyed the shadow against the darken ground until it was gone. Then he for all intents and purposes sprinted towards the edge of town with Tegan in his arms. She had made a fuss about being carried. Saying that was worse than pretending to be married to him. But he didn't care about her complaints. There was no way in Gallifrey that he was going to let her wear those shoes again, even with bandaged feet. The Doctor continued his trek to the edge of the village. Until--

“And where the two of you believe you’re going so late after curfew?”

The Doctor swung around and found that it was one of the guards that Ronick had spoken to.

“There’s a curfew?”

“Did your wife just address me?”

This place was getting intolerable.

“No, I threw my voice. Oh, well, I thought I’d take her out for a moonlight stroll.”

“In your arms?”

“Well, her feet are hurting.”

“I understand, but I still can’t allow you to leave the village. The curfew’s in force now.”

“I lied actually. I was going to take her somewhere to get her feet treated.”

“She’s just a woman, who cares if her feet hurt.”

“I happen to care very much about the condition of her feet. Now move aside man or I shall sic her on you.”

“Ronick will learn of this.”

“Tell whomever you like.”

The guard moved quickly out of their way, running towards the other direction into the village. What a horrible guard! The Doctor made the be best of it and crossed out of the village and into the open plain.

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“Yes, I did. As much as you think I enjoy playing their little male dominance game, I don’t. We arrived at the village two hours ago and I’m already tired of it.”

“I think I’m beginning to like you, Doctor.”

“Really? Well, don’t get too attached to me. We’re going to be hunted most of the night. If they do find me, I’ll make sure at least they won’t find you.”

“Hunted by whom? The villagers?”

“And whatever is out here that the villagers are afraid of to warrant them keeping an armed guard on watch.”

“Are you sure you can carry me all the way back to the TARDIS?”

He had to admit that despite his superior cardiovascular system, and night vision, he was still feeling rather weary of carrying her.

“I don’t think we have much of a choice. That’s the last time I’ll let you use the Master’s wardrobe. I should have known he’d booby trap something in there. He does have a rather sadistic kind of humor.”

“But shoes?”

“Putting blister inducing powder in them caused you enough pain to cripple you. I’m just glad he didn’t do that for anything else in there.”

A growl emerged from the darkness. Whatever it was judging from the direction it came from it was between them and the TARDIS. The Doctor looked around quickly and found a small depression in the ground. A crater would be more of an apt description of what it was. But it didn't matter, it's where they would be sleeping for the night. Well, at least Tegan would. He would be too busy more than likely trying to fend off—there it was again. A loud menacing growl. At the bottom of the crater he put Tegan down. The Doctor then took off his coat and then began to cover Tegan up with it. Especially her feet. The last thing she needed was for her feet to become infected. He then took his place next to her. The animal in the distance growled again. Tegan who had faced certain death more than once in the past week, wrapped her arms around him acting as though he could save her from the wild beast. It was flattering that such a person like Tegan would believe he could provide her comfort in a time like this.

“What was that?”

“Remember what I said about the guard?”

“Yes.”

“That’s most likely what they’re guarding the village from.”

“Rabbits! It sounds huge!”

“Then it probably is. Shush now, just lie still here and be quiet.”

“Pretend to be dead you mean?”

It amazed him how quickly Tegan caught onto the practically of actions in a survival situation. Perhaps he would keep her around as a survival consultant. Just for those companions who didn't understand the situation all that well. But would Tegan agree to such an arrangement? Probably not since he would have to pay her in Earth currency.

“Yes, that should keep us safe.”

“Unless, it likes to eat dead things.”

“Oh, well, then I’ll just offer it a jelly baby instead.”

He wasn't sure if she had been amused or not. But she had laughed a little bit despite her rolling her eyes away from after that remark.

“Maybe you should light a fire. You know to keep them away.”

“What? Why?”

“Works on dingoes.”

“But then the villagers will see us. No, the best thing to do is to lie still and wait till morning.”

They passed sometime between them. It might have been five minutes before she said: “Remind me never to marry you, Doctor.”

“Why do you say that?” Not that he was thinking of proposing anyway.

“Your wedding nights are for the dogs.”


	10. The Replacement

Something was poking him. He wasn't sure but he was certain that Tegan would be unable to forage for wood and then sharpen it into a spear tip given the condition of her feet had been in the night before. With this thought, the Doctor woke up when he was jabbed again with a sharp point.

“Get up you!”

“Wha…what?”

“I said to get up!”

The sun was up and it was mid-morning. The Doctor looked over to where Tegan was and found the space next to him empty except for his coat. The Doctor took his coat and stood up as asked and dusted it off. They had found them and evidently had already taken her back to the village.

“Where’s Tegan? What have you done with her?”

“You’re lucky Ronick likes you.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s going to spare your and that woman’s life.”

“Well, then I shall have to thank him.”

Though honestly right about now he'd prefer to strangle him right now. But Tegan was a smart girl. She'd take care of the lot. Even if she talked them to death.

“You already have. You forfeited your wife as tribute.”

“What?”

“You don’t really understand what’s going on here, do you?”

An honest assessment of the situation. Apparently, this gent was the bright one of the lot.

“I am trying.”

“Every man here must give a woman to the empire as tribute. Most of the time it’s his daughter who is the tribute. But if there is no daughter to pledge…then…”

“He gives up his wife. Is that how it goes?”

“Correct, Doctor. You’ve spared Ronick’s wife from being sent to the empire as tribute by pledging your wife in her stead.”

Tegan given in tribute to an Empire. Well, he couldn't have that. He had to return her to Heathrow.

“I demand to be taken to Ronick this very instant.”

“As you wish, but the tributes are being prepared for transport. I’m sure Ronick will let you say goodbye to your _former_ wife.”

Former wife? Well he would see about that!

The trek to the village seemed shorter than it had away from it. Under normal conditions he could sense temporal distortion fields with ease but this time it appeared to be something different.Of course, it was daylight and the villagers who were escorting him back knew where they were going. But that was just an offhand oddity for the moment. No time to think on that. Moments after entering the village he was shoved forcefully into what he guessed was the administrative center. There behind the desk was Ronick, pretending that he as leader of these people was important and doing something with the papers on this desk. The Doctor cleared his throat; gaining the attention of Rodnick. Rodnick looked up and extended his hand. This time the Doctor didn't accept the invitation to be friends. Rodnick withdrew his hand and went back to his work.

“I wish to complain to the appealing authority. You have no right to dissolve my marriage without either mine or my wife’s consent.”

“We had your wife’s consent.”

“What?”

These people made no sense.

“She agreed to the dissolution, in exchange for your life.”

“What does a woman know?”

“While women are nothing more than servants and mothers on our world, they do have certain rights and one of them is to dissolve an unhappy union, if the marriage hadn’t been consummated during the first night of marriage.”

“I don’t see how that’s any of your affair. What happens between Tegan and I is none of your concern.”

“She agreed to dissolve your marriage in order to save you. I think that you owe her a bit more respect than you’re showing her.”

“I hope for your sake that one day the so called tribute that you send to the empire doesn’t open their mouths about the sort of treatment you have been putting them through all these years, because I’m sure the empire may have to have something to say about the way you treat these poor creatures. Or is it the fact that so you’re in love with your wife that you’re afraid that your treatment of her versus the treatment she would receive within the empire might fall short, and that’s why you’re sending Tegan in her stead. Food for thought, Ronick.”

The Doctor left Rodnick to search for Tegan then.


	11. Friends

It was hopeless. Well, not really hopeless. Just being having been dragged across the wee hours in the morning and then having to sign a fake document dissolving her fake marriage to the Doctor in order to save his life. Then she had to sign another document agreeing to replace that Rodnick's life to save her own skin. She sat with her head against the bars wondering if the pain and the effort had been worth it. Was the Doctor still alive or had they killed him anyway? There were no visitors to tell her any news.

“How are the feet?”

Tegan looked up and found the Doctor with a stupid grin on his face. How wonderful for him to have the freedom to roam around as he liked.

“They still hurt. What are you doing here?” She was sure he would get in trouble for being here. Unlike most people she knew, he was like her in that he seemed to enjoy running a risk for the sake of it. Yeah, that's about what she was like.

“Well, I just thought I’d come to say goodbye to my so called ‘wife’.”

“I guess you know it all by now.”

The Doctor leaned against the other side of the bars. His big blue eyes full of compassion. By the way he was looking at her, he was wondering why she had done it. He wanted the complete story.

“Yes. Most of it anyway.”

“I woke up early, and decided to see if I could find something for us to eat and well…they caught me. Ronick was with them and he threatened to kill you if I didn’t offer myself up as tribute.”

“I wonder if he bullies others in other matters as well.”

“So are you here to rescue me?”

“No.”

“What?”

“If I do, they’ll kill us both before we could get out of the village.”

“But you’ll be alive soon after that.”

“Do you really think I put such a small value on a companion’s life?”

“I don’t know. And I’m not your companion, remember? I’m a reluctant stowaway.”

She wasn't the groupie type, except, maybe when it came to David Bowie then she might change her mind on that aspect of her life.

“Well…how about friends then? Would you like to be my friend, Miss Tegan?”

Tegan looked at his extended hand. He was offering to be her friend now. She shook his hand and offered up one of her rare smiles and he returned it.

“I can agree to that.”

“Good.”

Tegan ended the handshake and noticed that he had slipped something into her hand. She looked at it. It was a small glass cube except the top appeared to be lopped off revealing the inside as it came to a point. Was this some kind of keepsake for her to remember him by?

“What’s that?”

“It’s a homing beacon. Whatever happens, Tegan, make sure you don’t lose that. Understand?”

“Yes.”

The Doctor stood up to his full height.

“Well, I’ll be saying goodbye to you then.”

He had said that loudly as if someone had been listening in on them. And now that she thought about it; it would make sense if someone had been. The Doctor winked at her and stepped out of the room. While it was a good sign to see that he was on her side there was the feeling of impending doom she had deal with. She couldn't run away. She couldn't talk her way out of it. Nor did she have a weapon to defend herself. No wonder she felt helpless.

“Goodbye, Doctor.”

Tegan wondered if she would see her new friend ever again. She hoped she would.

 


End file.
